Viticulture Flashcards
What are the 3 main types of acid found in wine?
Malic Acid
Lactic Acid
Tartric Acid
What is Achéria?
The oldest name/most primitive clone of Cabernet Franc, originating in Basque Country
Where did Gewurztraminer originate?
Despite the German sounding name, Gewürztraminer is Italian in origin, and is thought to be indigenous to the Alto Adige region of northern Italy. The prefix “gewürz” means spice in German, though the meaning is more along the lines of outrageously perfumed than anything that might come out of a kitchen spice rack. The grape is not actually a distinct variety but rather a pink-berried, highly aromatic clone of Savagin, one of the ancient so-called “founder varieties.”
(Karen McNeil)
Pelaverga
There’s only about 20ha in the world planted, most concentrated in the village of Verduno.
Light tannin, sappy red fruit, peppery spice - a very easy-drinking red.
-Burlotto
-Castello di Verduno
-Fratelli Alessandria
What is the name of Gamay’s teinturier mutation?
Gamay de Bouze
Viviser
An old name for Chasselas, used in and around Baden
PIWI
Pilzwiderstandsfähige Rebsorten: Fungus-resistant grape varieties aka HYBRIDS
* associated with Germany
* adaptability, sustainability
What is the French term equivalent of PIWI?
ResDur (Résistances Durables - a program started in 2000)
Scion
the above the ground portion of a grafted vine
Canes and spurs
canes = shoots grown in previous season that have lignified/turn brown. 1-4ft long after pruning
spurs = canes trimmed to a few inches
Cordon
Permanent horizontal extension of the trunk with a number of spur positions located along them
Vitis vinifera’s parent species?
Vitis Sylvestris
(both belong to family Vitaceae)
Canopy
refers to all vegetative growth that occurs during the growing season
Suckers
shoots sprung from dormant buds on older wood - do not usually produce fruit and are typically removed earlier in spring
inflorescences
flower clusters that resemble immature grape clusters. Appear in the beginning of the season
*initiated during the previous growing season
Rachis
The stem holding the cluster of potential grapes
Ampelography
The science of identifying grape varieties based on morphology
- clusters/berries shape & size
- leaf characteristics
- overall growth patterns
Xylem
Carries water and nutrients from roots throughout the vine
Phloem
carries sugar from the leaves throughout the plant
ATP
adenosine triphosphate: usable energy created through respiration, occurs in every part of the plant including roots both day and night. Uses oxygen, releases CO2
Photosynthesis
Plant takes in CO2 through stomates (microscopic pores in leaves)
*releases water through stomates (transpiration)
*stomates close during periods of stress to conserve water - stops photosynthesis and slows respiration
Vine Vigor
refers to vegetative growth produced by the vine. Assessed by:
*shoot length/diameter
*number of shoot’s per vine
*tendency to produce laterals/suckers
Quantified by pruning weight - material removed
Excessive growth is bad for quality/quantity. Too much energy to canopy, not enough on fruit development.
Too much canopy = not enough light, buds aren’t as productive and are more disease prone
Ravaz Index
A measurement of vine balance: considers ratio of fruit weight to pruning weight
*healthy range is 4 to 10
3 common rootstock species
Vitis rupestris
Vitis riparia
Vitis berlandieri
2 main genus of family Viticeae?
Vitis
Muscadinia
Crossing vs Hybrid
the offspring of 2 varieties belonging to same species (Riesling etc)
Hybrids are interspecies crossings
What species of grape vine typically shows foxy aromas?
Vitis Labrusca
Proles Pontica
3 main proles (Pontica, Occidentalis, Orientalis) - primary centers of cultivation
Aegean/Black Sea
Vermentino, Zin, Furmint, etc
*jagged leaves, white hair underside, midsized clusters & small/med berries
Proles Occidentalis
3 main proles (Pontica, Occidentalis, Orientalis) - primary centers of cultivation
Western Europe
Chard, Riesling, Pinot,etc
*convex leaves, small compact bunches, small round berries
Proles
Proles (latin) = scion, offspring; grape variety classification by Dr. Negrul
Orientalis: Caucasus; Cinsault, Muscat
Pontica: E. EU; Harsevelu, Furmint, Clairette
Occidentalus: IT, FR, etc. Chard, Merlot, etc
Tannin expression related to moisture
Water stressed grapes = more tannin
*even after accounting for berry size
Monoterpenes
compounds responsible for flavors of rose, lychee, and orange blossom
Clones
Variants within a grape variety that differ slightly in terms of morphology or behavior
*mutations are caused by errors in cell division and genetic variation is the result
*viral infection affects gene expression - another source of mutation
(all of the Pinot’s are technically clones of Pinot Noir; Gewurz is a genetic mutation of Sauvignon Blanc)
Give 3 examples of American hybrid varieties
Clinton
Catawba
Delaware
Herbemont
Isabella
Niagara
Noah
Norton
Purpose of American hybrids was to adapt to fiercely cold winters and hot disease-prone summers
Give 3 examples of French hybrids
Goal was to resist pests and diseases around time of phylloxera and downy mildew. Covered 1/3 of French vineyard by 1950’s.
Baco Noir and Blanc
Chambourcin
Chancellor
Couderc Noir
Marechal Foch
Plantet
Villard Noir and Blanc
Seibel
Seyval Blanc
Vidal Blanc
Vitis Riparia rootstock
- downfalls
riparia = native to riverside areas. Shallow fibrous roots.
*not drought tolerant
*does not do well in lime soils
*low vigor, earlier ripening
Vitis Rupestris rootstock
Shrubby vine native to American South
* loves rocky creek beds and low-nutrient soils
* extensive root system is good for drought tolerance and searching for water
* vigorous; large canopy on fertile soils
* tolerant of nematodes/viruses
Ex: St. George
Vitis berlandieri rootstock
Native to Texas and deep limestone soils
* good choice for alkaline soils
* deep roots = some drought resistance
* later ripening, variable phylloxera tolerance
Does not root from dormant cutting - so all rootstock from this species will never be pure belandieri
EU Climate Zone A
Ex: Germany (except Baden), Austria, Loire, Champagne, Alsace
Can adjust alcohol levels up to 3%
Can deacidify - cannot acidify
Köppen-Geiger
Climate classification
5 main groups:
tropical, dry, temperate, continental, polar
* further divided based on temp and precipitation patterns
Vine growth occurs in what temperature range
50 to 95º F
(mid-70’s is optimal)
Winkler Index
Categorizes viticultural areas with similar accumulation of “growing degree days” from April 1 to October 31
*(daily avg temp - 50ºF) for every day 4/1 - 10/31 is totaled up
How many leaves does it take to ripen a cluster?
12 - 16
Min. # of sunshine hours/year to ripen Vitis Vinifera?
1250 hours
General latitude range for growing vines?
30 to 50
Inversion layer
An imaginary boundary which cold air is trapped under a layer of warm air
*causes frost events
Methods to mitigate frost
- site selection: cold air settles in low-elevations; bowls with no means of draining air are especially frost prone
- varietal selection: don’t plant early budding varieties in frost prone places
- air circulation: mow cover crops
- sprinklers: water freezing can warm the vines a few degrees; constantly applying water during frost event
- Heat: smudge pots, small fires
- Pruning methods: leave a long spur or prune late to use “sacrificial buds”
At what temp do dormant vines risk freeze damage? Mitigation methods?
5ºF and below. Most can survive to 0 but most risk death if they go below
1. burying the canes or the base of the vine
2. geothermal, geotextile blankets
Hail prevention?
Netting or canyons to disrupt air patterns
Drought friendly rootstock?
St. George, 110R, and 140R
Sunburn mitigation techniques
- clay-based “sunscreen” on fruit/canopies (Australia)
- shade clothes around fruit zone post veraison
- sprinklers/misters for evaporative cooling
Loam
Soil texture comprised of a blend of different particle sizes, including sand, silt, and clay
Alluvial
Soil transported and deposited by (non-marine) surface water. Alluvial deposits have been cemented into rock
Colluvial
soil transported by gravity or erosion
Fluvial
Soil weathered, transported, and deposited by rivers and streams
Calcareous
Alkaline soil with a high proportion of calcium or magnesium carbonates
- cool, good water retention
- lower temps = delay ripening
- Agrillaceous = calcareous clay